Brandon Nakashima shines in Almaty debut with win over Hamad Medjedovic | ATP Tour
Almaty
Nakajima shines in Almaty debut with win over Mededovic
Shevchenko wins fifth match point; three Australians also advance
October 14, 2025
KTF.kz
Brandon Nakashima improves to 11-1 in his last 12 hard court first-round matches.
Written by ATP Staff
Brandon Nakashima prevailed in a hard-fought battle between former Next Generation ATP Finals champions at the Almaty Open on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded American defeated Hamad Mededovic 7-6(5), 6-2 in his ATP 250 indoor hard-court debut. Nakajima improved his season record to 31-25 with the 83-minute victory, according to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index. Apart from Francisco Cerundolo (35), the 24-year-old has the most Tour wins outside the top 20 this season.
Rock solid from start to finish 👊
[5] @b_中岛 Defeated Mededovic 7-6(5) 6-2 and made his debut in Almaty@AlmatyOpen_KZ | #AlmatyOpen pic.twitter.com/4DdfsuC75N— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 14, 2025
Nakajima (winner at the 2023 Next Generation ATP Finals at PIF in Milan) and Mededovic (winner at the 2024 Jeddah) meet for the second consecutive year at an indoor ATP 250 event. Mededovic won the pair’s first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Belgrade a year ago, but Nakajima leveled the score at 1-1 with a rock-solid performance in Almaty.
“It feels great, it’s my first time in Kazakhstan and I love it,” Nakajima said. “It’s always good to get through the first round, so I’m really happy. It’s something you have to get used to [the conditions]but luckily I was able to get here early so I was able to get some good practice on the court. “
The world number 34 won 80 per cent (35/44) of points after his first serve and converted two of the four break points he won heading into a second-round tie with Fabian Marossan in Almaty. Nakajima has an 11-1 record in his past 12 first-round games on hard courts.
Alexander Shevchenko delivered a thrilling first-round victory over Laslo Djere 7-6(1), 7-6(12), taking his fifth match point and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Kazakhstan’s No. 2 saved four set points, including three in the second-set tie-break, to win after two hours and six minutes.
After reaching the quarterfinals last year, Shevchenko has a 4-3 record in Almaty and will next face eighth seed Corentin Mutai.
Previously, Australian players Alexander Vukic, Rinki Hijikata and Adam Walton all advanced after winning three sets. Vukic beat qualifier Marko Topo 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, while lucky loser Shikata beat home hope Timofey Skatov 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3.
Walton defeated compatriot Tristan Skucket 7-6(4), 6-7(3), 6-2 to meet second seed and former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev.
